Presuming the port is tuned low, it shouldn't make much acoustic difference where it is placed. Rear ports can be harder to position (needs to be several radii away from the wall or other obstacles). But since some midrange can reflect/leak out through the port, and the port may have its own resonant peak, front placement may aim that right at the listener.
My "Safe" rule of thumb for port size was 3" for an 8"; 4" for a 10"; 5" for a 12." Smaller than that, best check a simulation to see that at maximum output the flow is still a low % of the speed of sound. Yes, it can become hard to fit the port. NO you should not bend it, I don't care what anyone says. End flares/flanges help at medium SPLs but actually not at high SPL, according to JBL research.